What Would You Do After First Year Of Experience Hauling Reefer For A Mega Carrier?

I started with my current company last year on labor day week and so far it has been a pretty solid experience. I'm just starting to look at other companies since the pay at my current company (0.44cpm) is pretty bad compared to all the stuff I see other companies listing. I realize the grass isn't always greener but if you were in my situation what would be your next move? Any suggestions on great companies that I could apply to with 1 year of experience? I'm thinking I want to eventually go to walmart once I have 30 months since they seem to be one of the higher paying companies but that is still a long ways away. Any suggestions are welcome. The other option is to just stay where I'm at but its a struggle with how much I owe in child support and only making <$1000 a week(average $7-900~).

Thanks!

-Ryan

Where are you working now?

Where are you working now?

Wilson Logistics

I have never driven (only) reefer , but it sounds like you’re only getting about 2,000 miles a week.

There’s a ton of info on here about improving your efficiency. But, how often do you go home? Are you able to get longer hauls? Do you WANT longer hauls?

I’m just wondering what all the non-pay factors are that are preventing you from making more $.

if you were in my situation what would be your next move?

We always try to teach people to stay with their first company for one year. Part of that reasoning is to learn the ins and outs of how you run a truck and make a profit at it. There's nothing wrong with 44 cents per mile. You ought to be making around $1,200 dollars a week at that level of pay. About nine years ago I started at 27 cents per mile. How's that sound to you? It was pathetic, but I managed to squeeze out 50 grand my rookie year. I got a raise every quarter, and I ran my tail off. I honestly never considered greener pastures until somebody contacted me with an offer I felt I couldn't refuse. I spent eighteen months at my first company. All that time was spent on honing my ability and my understanding of the business. I learned there were a lot of things I could do to improve my current situation just by applying myself. I wasn't actively looking for another employer.

My suggestion to you is to examine your performance each week. I mean really analyze it and try to figure out why you aren't doing better than you are. Don't just fall back on the excuse that says, "This mega carrier doesn't care about me and they aren't giving me enough miles." I think that is silly. They want you to be turning the most miles you can. That is exactly how they make money. Ask yourself some questions...

• Am I burning up my clock each week?
• Am I waiting too long in between loads?
• Am I keeping my dispatcher well informed with ETAs and PTAs?
• Am I willing to run harder and be more efficient?
• Have I communicated with dispatch my eagerness to turn more miles?

If you're burning up your clock and only making 700 to 900 then you've got work to do on managing your time and understanding how to take advantage of the rules.

If you are waiting too long on loads it is quite possible that you need to work on developing your communications with dispatch so that they know well ahead of time when you are going to be available.

Providing accurate information to your dispatcher with good solid ETAs and PTAs can do wonders for your bottom line, but they have got to be accurate and you have got to keep you word when you give them this information. After a year you should be able to do a decent job of this.

Do you want to run harder and be more productive, or do you just want more CPM? You can choose to run more miles, but you have to understand how to make that happen. It is part of becoming a Top Tier Driver.

Sometimes all it takes to start turning more miles is to have a professional conversation with your dispatcher. They get accustomed to their driver's performance. They have some drivers who are just average and completely satisfied with being just that. They need to know if you have the kind of ambition that can propel you to the top of their list. They will prioritize guys and gals who consistently outperform their other drivers. They need to know if that is what you want, and they need to see you doing the kinds of things that will put you in that sort of position.

I would encourage you to look inward instead of looking at recruiting messages from other companies. Wilson runs a great operation, and I can assure you they would like to see you making more money for yourself. You may just need to make it known that you are wanting more and are able to handle more.

Trucking is ultimately a competition. You are competing with your dispatcher's other drivers. Can you outperform them? If you can your dispatcher will be obliged to keep feeding you the kind of stuff that will help you make more money. Can you do it?

Can You Hang With The Big Dogs?

if you were in my situation what would be your next move?

We always try to teach people to stay with their first company for one year. Part of that reasoning is to learn the ins and outs of how you run a truck and make a profit at it. There's nothing wrong with 44 cents per mile. You ought to be making around $1,200 dollars a week at that level of pay. About nine years ago I started at 27 cents per mile. How's that sound to you? It was pathetic, but I managed to squeeze out 50 grand my rookie year. I got a raise every quarter, and I ran my tail off. I honestly never considered greener pastures until somebody contacted me with an offer I felt I couldn't refuse. I spent eighteen months at my first company. All that time was spent on honing my ability and my understanding of the business. I learned there were a lot of things I could do to improve my current situation just by applying myself. I wasn't actively looking for another employer.

My suggestion to you is to examine your performance each week. I mean really analyze it and try to figure out why you aren't doing better than you are. Don't just fall back on the excuse that says, "This mega carrier doesn't care about me and they aren't giving me enough miles." I think that is silly. They want you to be turning the most miles you can. That is exactly how they make money. Ask yourself some questions...

• Am I burning up my clock each week?
• Am I waiting too long in between loads?
• Am I keeping my dispatcher well informed with ETAs and PTAs?
• Am I willing to run harder and be more efficient?
• Have I communicated with dispatch my eagerness to turn more miles?

If you're burning up your clock and only making 700 to 900 then you've got work to do on managing your time and understanding how to take advantage of the rules.

If you are waiting too long on loads it is quite possible that you need to work on developing your communications with dispatch so that they know well ahead of time when you are going to be available.

Providing accurate information to your dispatcher with good solid ETAs and PTAs can do wonders for your bottom line, but they have got to be accurate and you have got to keep you word when you give them this information. After a year you should be able to do a decent job of this.

Do you want to run harder and be more productive, or do you just want more CPM? You can choose to run more miles, but you have to understand how to make that happen. It is part of becoming a Top Tier Driver.

Sometimes all it takes to start turning more miles is to have a professional conversation with your dispatcher. They get accustomed to their driver's performance. They have some drivers who are just average and completely satisfied with being just that. They need to know if you have the kind of ambition that can propel you to the top of their list. They will prioritize guys and gals who consistently outperform their other drivers. They need to know if that is what you want, and they need to see you doing the kinds of things that will put you in that sort of position.

I would encourage you to look inward instead of looking at recruiting messages from other companies. Wilson runs a great operation, and I can assure you they would like to see you making more money for yourself. You may just need to make it known that you are wanting more and are able to handle more.

Trucking is ultimately a competition. You are competing with your dispatcher's other drivers. Can you outperform them? If you can your dispatcher will be obliged to keep feeding you the kind of stuff that will help you make more money. Can you do it?

Can You Hang With The Big Dogs?

I started this company labor day last year so I'm at about 13 months currently so over the 1 year mark. As for my clock yea I am always running on recaps I try to keep each day around 9-10hrs duty time this way I never burn up my entire 70 and always have recaps to work off of. I don't dislike the place I'm at the people that work there are great and the pay is decent I didn't mean to come off as complaining I'm just looking to expand my skillset as well as earn a bit more for my time spent. Example would be if I could find a place willing to take drivers with 12m exp that wants to train me to haul tanker or flatbed or teach me to retest on manual something like that to add value to my resume for future employment. Refer has been fun for the past year I'm just trying to get more experience in different areas of trucking to see what I like / dislike so I know what I'd like to stick with in the future. I'm always down to run harder and make more money but making more per mile and driving more would both be nice.

I have never driven (only) reefer , but it sounds like you’re only getting about 2,000 miles a week.

There’s a ton of info on here about improving your efficiency. But, how often do you go home? Are you able to get longer hauls? Do you WANT longer hauls?

I’m just wondering what all the non-pay factors are that are preventing you from making more $.

I usually average 2500~ most I've had is 3300 or so. I usually stay out 5weeks then home 5 days. I definitely prefer the longer hauls but rarely get them. Example this week I've had a 700mile run and am currently on a 600 mile run and the one before this was a bit longer at 1000 but thats generally what my trips look like. Also I was calculating on what I actually bring home not gross since gross doesn't mean much. My check a few weeks back was 1250 but after tax and insurance only 920 I suppose I should have clarified that in my original post.

Refer can be very time consuming depending on what you haul. I did pharmaceuticals and the waiting and crazy appointment times really put a bad spin on things for me. I find dry van got me better miles without the hassle. Try to switch if that's a viable at Willson and you may get more money due to the switch without needing to find a new gig.